Mobility wheelchair hoists

A wheelchair hoist lifts a wheelchair and its occupant from ground level up to the vehicle floor, so there’s no ramp incline to negotiate. The platform (or boom arm) unfolds and lowers to the ground, the wheelchair user rolls on and is secured, then an electric or hydraulic motor raises the platform level with the floor and swings or slides it into the vehicle. Once inside, the hoist folds away after the wheelchair is moved into its travel position and tied down. It’s operated by a driver or attendant using a simple control remote, and every hoist we fit is certified as part of the overall build. Talk to our Mobility team about which hoist suits your fleet.

The two main types are platform hoists and boom (or crane) hoists. A platform hoist has a flat, foldable platform that lowers to the ground for the wheelchair to roll onto — this is the most common style in vans and minibuses because it’s stable and straightforward for an attendant to operate. A boom or crane-style hoist instead uses an articulated arm that lifts and swings the wheelchair into the vehicle, which can suit tighter loading spaces where a full platform won’t fit. The right choice comes down to your vehicle platform, available floor space, and how independently the wheelchair user needs to board. Request a fitout consultation and we’ll recommend the best fit.

A ramp is a fixed or fold-out incline the wheelchair travels up under its own power or with an attendant’s help, while a hoist is a powered platform that mechanically lifts the wheelchair up to floor height. Ramps tend to suit lower-floor vehicles with enough length to deploy a safe gradient, and can be a lower-cost option. Hoists come into their own where floor height is higher, loading space is tighter, or the wheelchair user needs to board without being pushed up a slope. We assess your typical vehicle, users and loading environment during consultation and specify the option — or combination — that works best. Book a Mobility consultation to talk through your options.

Hoist installation isn’t a bolt-on job — it’s engineered into the full vehicle fitout. Our team reinforces the floor and chassis mounting points to safely carry the hoist and its load, wires the unit into the vehicle’s electrical system, fits the hoist and control panel, then completes LVVTA certification and NZTA compliance sign-off before your vehicle is handed over. This all happens at our Auckland workshop alongside the rest of your fitout, so the hoist, seating and restraints are certified together as one build. See our fitout process overview for the full order-to-delivery timeline.